Find My Way
by the-great-snape-debate
Summary: What happens when a young Mortimer Toynbee AKA Toad finds himself lost in the mountains in England. Will he find his way, or will he get lost on his intended path? Rated T just to be safe.
1. Lord, my path has gone astray

Chapter 1

"Lord, my path has gone astray"

The cold bit into him, his fingers numb as he clutched onto the branch in front of him. His arms shook as he pulled himself up, his bare feet slipping on the cold wet rocks. The mountain was unforgiving ... But at least it was kinder than the people who had driven him out of the town.

He got his bearings on the rocks and pulled himself up, his ragged clothes clinging to his already soaked body. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath, tugging his hood on further over his face. He knew there was no one around but it was habit.

He jumped as thunder crashed over head, the flash of lightning giving him a brief glimpse of what was around him. It was too dark to see, but he couldn't afford to stop moving. Not for very long.

He got to his feet again, tired and sore as they were, and continued up the mountain. How long has he been hiking? Climbing? Hours? Days?

He didn't know, nor did he care. He didn't even know where he was going. All he knew was that he couldn't go back.

He groaned as he pulled himself up further, the mountain becoming steeper ... The journey turning into an upward climb. Like a wall almost.

He could do it. Half way up ... He wasn't so sure.

He clinged to the wall, with no where to rest, no strength to keep climbing. His muscles protested with pain (nothing new), but he needed to rest ...

He closed his eyes and concentrated ... Can't rest here ... No where to rest. Can't go back ...

"'Otta keep goin'" He said to himself as he pulled himself up farther, his arms and legs shaking with the effort. The further he got up the mountain the more he felt like his grip was going to give out ... Every hand hold felt like it was going to be the last.

He glanced down into utter darkness, wondering if he'd survive the fall. He couldn't see down ... A flash of lightning and he wished he hadn't looked. No way he would survive if he fell. If he did ... He didn't want to think about that.

He climbed up further, ignoring the pain, pushing it back, it didn't exist ... He just had to keep telling himself that ... Pain was an illusion.

He reached up one more time and he breathed a sigh of relief. He'd reached the top ... Or at least a ledge to rest. He'd settle for that if need be.

He climbed up, pulling himself onto the ledge. His heart stopped as he felt the ledge give way under his knee. Felt himself falling back from the cliff, heard a scream echo through the air, was barely aware it was him as he started to fall.

He grunted as he hit the side of the cliff, the air knocked from his chest, pain tugging at his wrist.

He chanced a glance up and saw a dim glow shrouding a man in dim orange light. The man held his wrist as he dangled over the cliff face.

His first instinct was to struggle but that wasn't wise ... He remained still, staring at the man who raised the lantern to get a better look at him.

"I thought I saw someone out here." The man said. "I wasn't expecting it to be a boy ... Many men can't even make this climb." He said pulling him up.

The man watched as the boy pulled his hood over his head again, covering his face from view. The boy crouched oddly, shying away from him. He was clearly cold and very scared.

"Come, you will have a bed tonight." He said holding his hand out to the boy. When he did not take it he crouched down next to him. "You are a mutant." He said though he held no malice. "We hold no prejudice against your kind. You are welcome in our home." The boy looked up at him in surprise ... He was ... Welcome?

He wanted to believe it ... Wanted so badly to go somewhere he was welcomed. But mistrust had been ingrained in him since the day of his birth.

"If you do not trust me, you are welcome to stay out in the rain. I will bring you food. But I'm sure you would be more comfortable in a bed." The boy seemed to think about this. Another clap of thunder and lightening, and the rain started pouring harder.

It made up his mind for him. The boy didn't take his hand but stood up on protesting legs and followed after the kind young man.

The man placed the bowl of stew in front of the boy who barely even hesitated in taking up the spoon.

"Not many manners in that one." An older gentleman said.

"Be kind to the boy. He's starving. He's had a long hard journey." The young man who'd saved him said. It didn't take long before the boy finished off the bowl and the man poured him some more. "Perhaps a little slower this time ... We wouldn't want you to get sick."

The boy looked up at him sheepishly and ate the second bowl slower.

"My name is Amida and this is Koichi. What is your name?" Amida asked. The boy rested the spoon against the side of the bowl and stared at him.

"What, he can't talk either?" The boy looked at Koichi and swallowed the bit of food that was in his mouth. He said something so quietly that neither of the men heard.

"What was that?" Amida asked.

"My name is Toad." The boy said quietly. Amida smiled sadly.

"Somehow, I don't believe that. What's your real name?" He asked. The boy remained silent for a few moments before he muttered something else. "Excuse me?"

"Mortimer." The boy said a bit louder.

"Mortimer huh?" He asked. "Still water. Seems rather unfitting for someone who was so desperate to tackle that mountain face. Do you have a last name?"

Mortimer tapped the spoon against the bowl nervously. "No." He said quietly.

"You're a ward of the court." Koichi said leaning against a wall. Mortimer looked up at him, fear clear in his toad like eyes.

"Please don't take me back there!" Mortimer begged. "Please ... They lock me in the closet and only feed me every couple days and it's only a little and the other kids pick on me and the adults ..." Mortimer suddenly stopped his rant not wanting to voice exactly what the adults did to him. But it was clear in his voice and his hesitation that it wasn't good.

"We won't send you back." Amida said. "You are safe here."

Mortimer looked at him skeptically. "I ... I can stay here?" He asked. "And what do you want in return?" No one ever gave anything for nothing.

"How old are you Mortimer?" Amida asked. Mortimer was briefly confused by the change in topic.

"I'm ... I'm six." Mortimer said quietly.

"Six?" Amida asked. "I had you pegged for four ... You're a big boy then." Amida said. Mortimer didn't appreciate being talked to like that and it was clear in his face.

"Well ... Mortimer." Amida said sitting back in his chair, no longer talking as if he were talking to a child. It was clear he had grown up far too fast. "Seeing as how you are six years old, you require care. We don't expect anything in return ... Except hard work and dedication."

Mortimer knew there was a catch. This place was huge, no doubt they expected him to clean it every day top to bottom.

"We wake up at six am sharp. No dawdling. You'll be with me from six until eight for meditation, from eight until three with another man you'll soon meet for education and from three until seven for martial arts training."

Mortimer looked up at him once again shocked. "You're ... Going to educate me?" He asked. That didn't seem like a payment, that seemed like a reward. He'd never been to school before.

"We are. There will be two others with you through the day. William, who's eight, and Paxton who is seven. They're mutants like yourself."

Mortimer looked down at his bowl, suddenly less excited about learning. If other kids were there ... Even if they are mutants ... He was always picked on because he was the smallest. And people thought he was slow because he didn't talk.

"Do we have a deal?" Amida asked. "Unless, that is ... You actually had somewhere you were going when you headed up that mountain."

Mortimer knew there was no question. No chance he'd decline. He was welcome here by these two men ... Even if the kids picked on him ... He could handle it so long as he had a place he was welcome.

((A/N – Here's chapter one of hopefully my long Toad fanfic …. An introduction to Mortimer. Please forgive any errors I make in future, I know nothing about monks so I'm going to keep as little of it out as possible, and keep to the basics, even with research I could get things wrong, get different things mixed up and I don't want to offend anyone …. So keeping it to the basics and focused around Mortimers training and education. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy. Please leave a review.))


	2. I'm just tryin' to find my way

Chapter 2

"I'm just tryin to find my way."

(5 years later)

"Mortimer your stance ..." Mortimer immediately fixed his stance and adjusted the position of his hands as his Sensei Instructed.

"Paxton, widen your stance as well." He said walking around the three boys. Koichi shook his head. "This is beginner stuff boys ..." He said standing in front of them. "Now ... Paxton I want to see a good toss. Mortimer you show me your landing."

Paxton nodded as Mortimer moved closer to him. Mortimer allowed Paxton to grab onto the front of his gi and prepared himself for the flip and the landing.

They executed the move perfectly, Mortimer moving up and over Paxton, rolling into his fall on the mat.

Mortimer stood up and both boys bowed to each other.

"I think it is time for dinner boys." Koichi said as William stood from the side lines. "Get washed up, changed, and meet me downstairs."

The three boys bowed and said "Yes Sensei" in unison before heading to the showers.

"Nice landing Toad." William said nudging him as they entered the shower area.

"For the thousandth time, stop calling me that." Mortimer said quietly.

"Or what?" William asked.

"Just ignore him Mort, you know he's just trying to get a rise out of you, he don't mean nothin." Paxton said, stripping out of his gi, folding it, and placing it on the upper shelf to be washed by the house workers.

"Yeah Toad. I don't mean nuttin by it." William said turning on his own shower and tossing his own gi up on the shelf in a rumpled mess, the sleeve hanging off the edge.

Mortimer took his time in removing his own clothes and folded them up to place it on his own shelf ... He hated showering. It was the only time he was left alone with William. While Paxton didn't seem to mind him, William had a knack for trying to get him into trouble.

"So Toad." William said lathering up some shampoo and washing his short hair. "How'd you get those scars on your back?" William asked. Mortimer clenched his small teeth and ignored the question.

"Oiy, just shove off." Paxton said at William's question. "It's never been your business and it won't be your business."

"I'm just asking, no need to be sensitive ..." William said snickering. Mortimer mumbled something. "Oh here we go ... Mumblin Mort is back again ... You prefer that Eh? Stupid retard. Why they even teachin ya huh? You ain't learnin nuffin."

"Just shove off William." Paxton said leaving his shower head to get between him and Mortimer. "Leave him alone. He ain't doin nothing to you."

"He's doin plenty actually. Probably should thank the little bugga ... Makes me look like a genius in comparison." William moved to step around him to get to Mortimer but Paxton placed a hand on his chest.

"Enough." Paxton said. William sized him up and nodded.

"Kay ..." He said going back to his own shower. As soon as Paxton turned his back William turned and raised his hands. The water that had been falling from the shower suddenly turned boiling hot and seemed to manoeuvre in the air. All three showers were spraying in odd patterns in the air.

"William no!" Paxton said as the water sprayed over Mortimer causing him to scream in pain as the hot water hit him. The water surrounded him and pulled him to the ground, pinning him to the floor.

"Oh he's loud now huh? He does have vocal cords ... What a surpri-" William was cut off with a huff as he was slammed into the wall behind him, the water he had been manipulating falling to the ground and towards the drain.

Paxton moved over William poised to attack again.

"STOP!" Amida yelled as he came into the shower rooms. "What is the meaning of this?" He said turning off the showers nearest Mortimer and crouching down next to the young boy. "I invite you two into my home, teach you, train you, feed you, and this is how you repay me? By attacking each other?"

"You teach us how to fight." William said slowly standing from where he'd hit the ground. "What did you expect us to do?"

"Then you miss the point of your lessons ... We do not teach to fight ... We teach to control ... We teach to defend ... Not to attack someone smaller. Not to attack for selfish ambition or because you find it fun. We teach you honour ..." He said wrapping a towel around Mortimer and lifting him off the floor. "You have no honour ... Not when you do this." He said. "You have three weeks ... Collecting groceries and cleaning house ... House workers could use a vacation anyway. And there will be no buying groceries for next day ... You go every day, down to market."

"That's a three hour climb both ways!" William said in shock that Amida would do that. "On top of cleaning? What about my school work?"

"You do groceries and cleaning ... You do catch up on your own time." Amida left the room with Mortimer, shaking his head as he heard tiles shatter in the bathroom and a muffled groan.

"Are you okay Mortimer?" Amida asked as he placed him down on his bed.

Mortimer nodded. The water had hurt but it hadn't left any bad burns, at least none that would need tending too. "I'm okay."

"We teach you to defend. Why do you not defend yourself?" Amida asked.

"I don't like fighting." Mortimer said quietly. "I get angry ... And I don't know how to control it ... So when I fight in earnest ... Even to defend I might get angry and ..." Mortimer shook his head closing his eyes. "I fought once ... Before I came here. With the warden in our orphanage."

"I would hardly consider it a fight if it were between a grown man and a four year old." Amida said rubbing his hand over Mortimers head.

"You're right ... It wasn't a fight ..." Mortimer said. "It was an execution." Mortimer sat up and looked away from Amida. "He ... He was hitting me ... All I did was punch him ... I didn't think very hard but ... His neck snapped ... He was dead before he hit the floor ... I ... I didn't know I could do that ... I didn't mean to ... I thought if I told you you wouldn't want me here. It's why I was chased out of town. They wanted to kill me ... They all agreed I was a danger to begin with ... Now they had proof."

Mortimer still couldn't look at Amida. "I'll understand if you want me to leave. I never belonged here anyway."

"Mortimer." Amida said putting his hand on the boys chin, getting him to look at him. "What you did was self-defence. You have been nothing but kind here. And I have no doubt that you will continue to be so. You will always be welcome here. Your past before you came here is past ... We've all done something bad that we regret ... But you mustn't let it get to you." Mortimer looked down at the blanket on the bed and nodded. "You are where you belong Mortimer. We are your family."

"Even Koichi?" Mortimer asked. The man was downright surly and seemed angry all the time. Koichi didn't seem to like anyone. Even the other monks.

"Especially Koichi. I think he just needs a few good hugs." Amida said with a laugh.

Mortimer laughed as well. "I think he needs more than a hug."

Amida laughed. "You know ..." Mortimer started. "When you're mad you start talking funny. Like your English is more broken than it is."

Amida laughed. "Yeah ... That happens when I'm mad. I start sounding like my father when that happens. 'You go to room! No suppa! You got B on English test!'" He said imitating his father, making Mortimer laugh again.

"I like seeing you laugh Mort. You don't do it nearly enough." Amida said running his fingers through his hair again. "I'll bring you some supper ... I'll talk to Koichi as well about what happened. We'll see if we can add a few things to Will's list." He said with a smirk.

"Thank you Sensei." He said as Amida left the room.

((A/N – And another chapter – odd I post two chapters at the same time but hey … I'm in a mood and I need to get my writing muse back. If there's mistakes I apologize I'm typing it out on my phone. Autocorrect tends to be a bit of a bitch if you know what I mean ….. In the "In no way shape or form have I ever meant Duck" kind of way. Anyway, please give a review. I love em – especially for this fanfic since no one ever seems to love Toad …. Show me he's got some love!))


	3. Wandered here from far away

(A/N- The standard **belt** color system is white, yellow, gold, orange, green, blue, purple, brown, red and black.)

Chapter 3: Wandered here from far away

(2 Years Later)

William stood against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest as Mortimer walked off the mat. The little twerp got his black belt before either he or Paxton got theirs.

He was still on his Purple belt, and Paxton on Brown. But Mortimer …. That little toad managed to get all the way to black. He huffed and walked away from the small ceremony (if you could call a group of seven people a ceremony) and through the back door. Spoiled little brat always got everything he wanted.

They all just took pity on the toad because he was so physically deformed. It angered William that they favoured that little runt over him. They even advanced Paxton before they advanced him. Well … He'd just prove to them that he didn't need them or their training system. He was good enough on his own.

Mortimer walked up to Amida and bowed to him.

"I'm very proud of you son." Amida said, making Mortimer smile. He loved it when Amida called him son. It really made it feel like he was indeed part of a family, and indeed Amida had taken Mortimer under his wing … Amida was the closest thing he would ever come to a father.

Mortimer broke tradition then … He moved towards Amida and hugged him. He couldn't help himself.

"Thank you." Mortimer said looking up at him. "For everything." Even at the age of thirteen Mortimer was short, barely coming up to four foot seven. He looked more like an eleven year old than a boy already in puberty. Then again, Mortimer had always looked younger than he was.

"You're welcome my boy." He said running his hand through Mortimer's hair as he always did. A gesture that had started years ago.

"Who will take on my training now?" Mortimer asked as a few people left the room, others staying to mingle and chat.

Amida sat down in a chair nearby and waited for Mortimer to join him. Once Mortimer sat he spoke. "I will be. You've advanced far enough that your training from now on will be with me. So we do meditation as normal … and then instead of going to the second floor, you go up to the third floor. I will take you there when you feel you are ready to start. There is no hurry. You just completed your first black belt. Hold onto that a while before you throw yourself into another goal. You've been working so hard you deserve a break. Our training here is not easy … the fact that you got where you are by thirteen well … that is a feat."

"How old where you when you got your first black belt?" Mortimer asked. Amida looked away from Mortimer in thought.

"Well … That was a long time ago." Amida said avoiding the question.

"You're not that old … It couldn't have been that long ago." Mortimer argued.

"I was twenty one." Amida said. Mortimer looked at him, not having expected him to be that old. Not from someone of his talent.

"Twenty one?" Mortimer looked up at him and grinned. "Well … you are old then." Amida laughed and ruffled Mortimer's hair.

Mortimer paused and looked around the room. Something felt strange. Odd.

"Do you feel that?" He asked looking around still as if searching for something.

"Feel what?" Amida asked. It became obvious when the ground started shaking, gently at first, and then harder and harder until everyone in the room was shouting in a panic, getting everyone to safety. Mortimer didn't have to ask what had happened when a rush of water came into the room from every window.

'Will.' Mortimer thought as he ran through the hall from the water, Amida gripping his hand as he was pulled down the tunnel. Mortimer knew he could move faster than Amida, but he couldn't carry the man and he didn't want to leave him. Amida knew this ….

"Mortimer go!" He said pushing Mortimer ahead of him. "Go! Jump! Get away!" Mortimer remained where he was, holding Amida's hand as water came rushing at them, a few monks who were behind them getting sucked into the wave of water. He knew they wouldn't survive.

"GO!" Amida said tugging his hand away from Mortimer. He tried to grab back onto his hand when the water crashed down on both of them. Pain erupted through his body, his ears felt like they'd exploded. He opened his eyes to look through the water, tried grabbing onto Amida's hand as they were being pulled in two separate directions.

Despite his loss of hearing, he heard a loud thud, the sound echoing inside of his skull seconds before he lost consciousness.

((A/N- Well there is chapter 3. Once again I hope you all like. And please leave a review.))


	4. I'm just trying to find my way

Chapter 4: I'm just tryin' to find my way...

Mortimer coughed, his lungs burning as he spit up water onto the ground, wet grass and mud sludged between his fingers as he pushed himself up.

"Amida?" He called out. "Koishi? Paxton?" He asked looking around. There was no one … He stood up, stumbling on his feet as he tried moving towards the destroyed building. The entire thing had collapsed in on itself, parts of it on fire now that the water was gone. No doubt from oil lamps that hadn't been touched by the water.

"AMIDA!" He called out, stumbling and falling to the ground. He neared the house and crawled into an opening, uncaring of how dangerous it was. "Amida!" He called out. He stilled when he saw him. It was dark, but he could see enough from the light outside. "Amida." He said quietly as he walked over to the man who lay still on the floor, a large beam crushing him, blood flowing through steams of water that was trying to escape to lower ground.

"No." He said falling to his knees. He reached his hand forward, checking for a pulse. He didn't know why he did, he knew the man was dead but …. He had to confirm. He had to know for sure. "No …" He said again as tears streamed down his cheeks. Amida was all he had … Amida and Paxton and Koichi … they took him in when no one else would …. And now his home … his family … was gone. All in a matter of moments it was ripped away from him.

"A pity really." Mortimer snapped his head up at the voice. Will stood not far from the building. "This place would have been a great historical land mark one day … Oh well."

"WHY?!" Mortimer asked standing up and advancing on William.

"Why? Because I hate you …. Because they treat you better than me …. And because the people in the village you ran from …. They're still looking for you. You fetch a pretty penny if I were to bring you in …. Alive or dead."

Mortimer screamed as he jumped forward on top of Will taking the teen by surprise. "Then I suppose you'll have to take me in dead." He said bringing back a fist and swinging it down towards his head. Water rose from the ground, gripping Mortimer and flinging him back into the house, the building shifting from the slight bump it took.

Mortimer got up as the water fell around him. "Used up too much of your power. You're weak." Mortimer said as he jumped back at him. He swung once, twice, three times, each a miss as William dodged each swing.

"You really are a killer aren't you Mortimer?" William taunted. "You killed the man when you were just a kid …. And you're still a killer."

"So are you!" Mortimer said, not denying the fact that he had killed someone, and despite his normal kind exterior …. Mortimer was livid …. He was angry and torn with grief and those were two horrible combinations for Mortimer.

He swung again and again and again, ignoring how his head still swam from being submerged in the water so long and hitting his head.

"You took everything from me!" Mortimer said. "I had finally gotten something good in my life you and you took that from me!" He yelled.

"YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FRO ME THE MOMENT YOU SHOWED UP!" William yelled back. "THIS WAS MY HOME! I WAS AMIDA'S FAVOURITE! AND THEN YOU SHOWED UP!"

Mortimer shook his head. "Then that makes what you did even more inexcusable." He said jumping at him again. "Amida loved you as well …. He loved all three of us! Equally! You're lack of attention and your arrogance is what held you back! Not him! He never had a favourite!" He said finally connecting with Will's jaw, sending him reeling back.

He pinned him to the ground and before Will could say anything, before Will could react, to defend himself, to get his water up again, Mortimer brought his fist down, a loud crunch echoing in the air and it took a moment for Mortimer to stand back … It scared him really …

Not the fact that he'd killed Will but …. It scared him how much he enjoyed that cracking noise. To hear bone crunching under his fist.

He shook his head. No …. This was his anger talking …. This was his remorse. Remember Amida's teaching. The meditation ….

But nothing was working. Mortimer screamed as loud as he could as he fell to the ground, his fist punching the ground so hard the stone cracked. He couldn't hold it back …. The tears flowed harder than ever. He felt like his entire body was being torn apart and going numb all at the same time, like his heart was being clenched inside his chest. He couldn't stop himself from shaking.

He couldn't even think about what he was going to do next … where he was going to go …. He couldn't even think about moving from that spot.

((A/N – Well …. That was a depressing chapter. As always please leave a review. I think I need a hug after writing this one …. Ahem …))


	5. You were never meant to see

((A/N – Yay I got a review, love ya! Keep em coming!))

Chapter 5: You were never meant to see

(3 Years Later)

The smell was horrid. Garbage mingled with piss, stale sweat and booze. It was a smell he no longer noticed. He was used to it. He fiddled with the hood of his jacket, leaning against the dumpster as he watched the people on the street a few feet away. A few of them glanced hi way but kept moving. No one bothered with the homeless in this city, let alone a homeless mutant.

He sighed as he lit a smoke from a pack he'd picked off a man who had been in far too much of a hurry to notice. It was a bad habit he'd picked up when he got to the city two years ago.

"Mortimer?" He jumped at the sound of his name, a name that already sounded so foreign to him. He turned and sneered at the woman who had addressed him.

"Who the fucka you?" He asked standing from where he was crouched. He saw another woman behind her. Both of them seemed very out of place in this neck of the woods, even if they had come off the busy street. They didn't look like locals.

"My name is Ororo Munroe. This is Jean Grey." She white haired one said as she approached him.

"Oh ye?" Mortimer asked. "That's nice." He said sarcastically. "Fuck off." He said walking away from them.

"Mortimer, we need to talk to you." Jean said following after him. "We want to talk to you about attending school."

"Not interested." He said, shoving his hands in his pockets, his cigarette still between his lips.

"We know you're a mutant." Ororo said before flinching as Mortimer turned on her.

"Say it louder, ye? I'm not sure the whole block 'eard ya!" He said menacingly. Jean ignored his tone and pulled out a plain brown folder with a black symbol on it. An X with a circle around it. She handed it to him. "At least look it over? Think about it?"

"If I take the bloody folder will ye leave me alone?" He asked.

Jean nodded. "There's a disposable phone in there as well. Just hit 1, then the talk button any time, we'll answer."

Mortimer ripped the folder out of her hands and briskly walked away. "I hope you choose to come. You'll be welcome there." Ororo said as Mortimer flipped her off.

"I 'eard that before." He said over his shoulder. "It didn' end well." He said turning the corner out of sight.

He was a little surprised when they didn't follow him. Only a little.

He flipped open the folder. Enrolment sheets, brochures … the typical things you'd expect from a boarding school.

"Xavier's school for gifted youngsters." He scoffed. "More like 'Xaviers school for freaks.'" He said tossing the folder into a nearby dumpster. "Boarding school in New York …" He muttered. "What a crock of-" He paused. New York. He turned back to the dumpster where he'd thrown the folder.

New country, new opportunities … He didn't trust them, and he doubted he'd remain at the school but … This was a once in a life time opportunity. His free ticket out of his shit hole country.

He walked back over to the dumpster and hopped up, hanging over the edge to collect the dirtied papers that had spilled all over the place. He found the phone and walked down the street to where the two women had found him. As he'd predicted, they weren't there anymore.

Mortimer sat against the dumpster again, the zipper of his backpack clinking against the metal side. He stared at the disposable cell phone. Should he? He heaved a sigh and looked around … He supposed New York was as good as any.

He hit the 1 button, and pressed talk.

"Ororo Munroe speaking." Her voice came through the cell phone almost immediately, as if she'd expected him to call. Smug little bint.

"What happens if I get there and I don't like this school of yours?" Mortimer asked.

"That is entirely up to you. If you like to stay in America we can arrange that for you. Or we can bring you back here."

"What's the catch? I don't 'ave any money." Mortimer said.

"There is no catch. What you do after you graduate is entirely up to you. Either leave the school as an educated young man, or stay on to teach others as we have. I think you would be a great addition to the school. The younger students who have similar mutations to your own need someone to look up to."

"I ain't exactly a role model, you want kids to look up to me?" Mortimer asked.

"You're disciplined, well versed in martial arts … you're in a rough patch right night Mortimer, but we have no doubt that you can thrive in our school … become the best you can be …. And in doing so, become someone that others can look up to."

Mortimer sighed and looked around the alley where he'd slept the night before.

"Alright, but I wanna see this school of yours before I enrol. Deal?" He asked, still feeling quite skeptical about the whole thing.

"Sounds fair to me. We'll leave whenever you're ready." Ororo said.

"Ye well I'm ready whenever you are. I don't fancy sleeping on the streets another night if I dun have to." He said.

"Well … come on then." He jumped and turned to see Jean standing in the alley a few feet away from him.

"You been standing there the whole time?" Mortimer asked annoyed.

"No … We weren't expecting you to call so soon. We weren't that far away. As soon as you confirmed you wanted to go, I walked over." Jean explained. Mortimer groaned as he stood up and followed her.

"So how are we getting there? I don't exactly have a passport to get onto a boat or plane …" He said. "Or is that you're mutant power? Teleportation around the world. You a delivery service for this school?"

Jean smiled despite knowing Mortimer was trying to goad her. "No, I'm telekinetic. I can-"

"Move things with your mind. I know what telekinetic means." He said annoyed once more. This woman must think he's stupid. "Wot's the other girl do?"

"She has the ability to control the weather." Jean said. Mortimer nodded.

"You two been here a few weeks then?" Mortimer asked. Jean looked at him confused.

"How do you know that?" Jean asked. Was the kid a telepath like the Professor?

"It's never gone more an a few days without rainin' … you're in England luv." He said with a smirk. "Been wonderin' why it hasn't been rainin. Makes sense though … Must be nice being able to control the weather. Make it nice all the time …"

"Not all the time." Ororo said as they approached her. "When the weather wants something to happen, it's going to happen whether I want it to or not …. I can make it clear, but once I leave, the rain will come down harder than ever."

"Well … good thing I'm comin with you two then ye?" He asked. "Don't fancy being soaked over for the next few weeks." They lead Mortimer to a rental car, Mortimer hesitating as they got in. It took him a moment before he got into the back, flicking the butt of his cigarette down onto the ground before closing the door.

"Do you have any belongings Mortimer?" Jean asked. "We can pi-"

"I got everything." He growled out, staring out the window. Jean nodded and pulled out of the parking spot and down the road.

((A/N – Geez I'm just busting out these chapters. Joys of being bed ridden I guess. Upside? Anyway, please leave a review. I love em.))


	6. All those things inside of me

(A/N - I'm deviating away from the movie here as far as timelines go. I suppose this is more the "alternative" world that was created after days of future past. Or perhaps just an au in general.)

Chapter 6

"All those things inside of me"

Eight hours ... Eight buggin hours it took to fly all the way to New York. Even with the five hour sleep he took on the jet, Mortimer was more tired than ever.

"Did you sleep well?" Jean asked as they stepped off the jet. Mortimer said nothing as he looked around the large open area. It seemed to be underground. A convenient way to hide a jet he supposed.

Jean didn't seem put out by his lack of answer. "I'll show you around the school, then I'll show you to your room. How old are you?" Jean asked.

"Dunno." Mortimer stated. "15? Maybe 16? I lost track a few years ago." The statement should come across as depressing but it seemed Mortimer really didn't care how old he was.

"Well then ... Once we show you around you can decide if you want to stay or not. We'll get you some enrolment sheets, if you want, and we can get you started on your entrance exam."

"Entrance exam?" Mortimer asked. No one told him he had to take a damn entrance exam.

"It's just to see what classes and grades you'd be suitable for. Age doesn't really mean anything, especially when a lot of our students miss years of school, if they even go at all."

Mortimer once again didn't say anything as she lead him up an elevator into what looked more like a mansion than a school.

She took him through classes as Ororo made her way in another direction, away from them.

All the classes seemed typical for a school, physics, math, science, biology, English, drama, gym which took place outside instead of an actual gym, social studies, history, geography.

"Do you have any alternatives to gym?" He asked.

"Well we also offer two other courses, though it's rare anyone signs up for them. They only have five or six students in each."

"What are they?" Mortimer asked more intrigued by these classes than in the ones he'd been shown already.

"We offer an acrobatics class, there's six students there. And a martial arts class. There's five there."

"What level black belt is the instructor at?" His interest in this school peaked just slightly. He may be a black belt, but he wanted to learn more.

"Fourth I believe." Jean said. "Perhaps fifth. I'm not entirely sure."

"I want to join that class." Mortimer said.

"It's a tough course." Jean said looking at him. She doubted this scrawny kid would last in that class more than a week.

"I'm a tough kid." Mortimer replied.

Jean smiled. "You can join the class. But the minimum requirement is at least five mandatory classes, with three optional if you'd like to enrol."

"What are the five mandatory classes?"

"Math, science, history, social studies and geography." She explained. "It's also recommended to take gym, but since you'll be attempting martial arts it won't be a requirement."

"Sign me up then." He said. Even if he had to take the other classes he wanted to further his skills in martial arts. He wanted to improve himself physically so that it would be easier for him to survive.

"Alright. Let me take you to Professor X. He'll have everything you need to enrol." She said leading him back down the hall.

0o0o0o0

Mortimer sat against a wall outside of the school, looking out onto an empty field. The exams were tedious at best ... All simple answers he'd learned when he was with ...

Mortimer sighed deeply as he brought his cigarette to his mouth.

"Those things will kill you." Mortimer jumped at the gruff voice and looked to see a large muscular hairy man with a cigar in his mouth.

"You're one to talk." Mortimer said pointing his own cigarette at the mans cigar.

"You the new kid?" The man asked leaning against the wall next to where Mortimer was crouched.

"You seen me before?" Mortimer asked as if that were the most obvious question in the world.

"I've only been here a week." He said looking at the boy. "My names Logan." He said though he didn't seem as if he wanted to be there just from that simple statement.

"Toad." Mortimer said not looking at the man. "Did the bald man put you up to coming out here?" He asked.

"He did." Logan confirmed. "He thought it would be good for us to meet since we'll be spending four nights a week together."

"Four ni-" Mortimer paused looking up at him. "You're the one teaching martial arts? You don't look old enough to be a renshi."

Logan looked down at the kid surprised. "You know your stuff. You taken martial arts before?"

"I have a black belt." Mortimer said.

"You steal it?" Logan asked clearly joking. Mortimer glared at him but said nothing. Truth be told he no longer had his belt. He lost it when Will had attacked then. The only belt he had was Amida's, which he had taken before the building collapsed further, burying his Sensei, and the closest thing he had to a father, further be with the rubble. "Just asking." Logan said holding his hand up. "See you in class tomorrow then. You have history first thing in the morning."

"How do you know that?" Mortimer asked.

"I teach the class. You're on my roll call, Mortimer." He called out as he walked away.

((A/N - Alright and here's chapter six. As always looking forward to reviews.))


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